Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-01-08

| TO do what they cOuld Tor any OF the
unfortunate sufferers who might
need help, but it appears that just as
soon as the Baltimore and Ohio agents
couldget to the placewhere the accid-
emit occurred, for some reason they were
behooved to hastily carry out of the
county the wounded. dying and
dead. Your correspondent was only
permitted to see four persons that
had escaped the awful holocaust in
which it is believed they were at least
twenty two bodies burned into
sIcKENIN6, cRIspY MASS OF FLESH AND
BONES,
beyond all possible recognition.
From the report Of a survivor, it
would appear that number of the
unfortunates were not only swallow
ed up in the wrath of the awful fiery
furnace, but that their bodies were
SO perfectly incinerated that their
ashes could not be gathered from the
debris. The sight was sickening and
most forbidding to witness. There
should be instituted through inves-
tigatiop, which we doubt not will be
done through the medium of the in
quest to be held by Coroner Lepper.
Those who were saved from the
wreck remaining in Republic were
a mother with three little ones hard
ly out of swaddling clothes, the hust
band and father OF the children with
two sons having been devoured by
the wrathful flames of the burning
cars. In some way that even this
mother was unable to relate she got
out of the car III which she had been
travelling and wandering away from
the burning train, carrying her two
Youngest children in her arms enter
ed the first house in which she found
a light. She was almost
cRAzED WITH FEAR
and with difficulty it was ascertained
that her name WAS Mrs. Mary
Postlethwaite. The family were on
| their road to Missouri and expected
to find home in Chillicothe of that
State. They have been hvUg near
the town of Bolton, Wetzel county
w. Va, Her husband, VIM. Post
lethwaite, was 58 years of age and
the sons killed with him were aged
Is and IL.
The agents of the Baltimore and
| Ohio endeayored to take care of the
mother and children by sending them
| to Chicago junction, where the COM
pany has q hotel. On advice, how
ever, of her friends, who were tele
graphed, she consented to remain in
| Republic until she should hear from
her son, who remained in West Vir-
ginia. 1t was
| PITIFUL SIGHT
to see the poor woman now breaking
forth in the wailing tones of her lit
tie boys, not over four years of age,
endeavoring to comfort her with the
words 30, Mamma, don't cry! don t
cry !! and Mamma, I'll get papa -
little realizing the terrible and almost
desperate grief of his anguish-strick
en- and desolate mamma. Postleth-
wait had on his person $500 10
money, draft for $500, a govern
ment check for $18, and note Of
$3.50, besides tickets and money for
immediate use. With one awful
stroke, all that the woman had in the
world to support her was swept from
the face of the earth, and she left
with her fatherless children among
strangers.
| At the Mansion House, in Repub-
lie, was found
ANOTHER VICTIM
who had refused to be removed from
the county. His name was Smith.
He was injured but very little, but
| says he does not care to repeat his
last nights experience. 1t is relate
ed of one Bradley, prominent
Knight of Labor from Washington
d. c., who, while the flames were
bursting from the car window, which
had been broken in the crash of the
collision, that he, by some means put
out his hand threw his watch and
pocketbook to those who he could
see on the outside. He was pinned
on the inside, and was being roasted
alive but those who saw him
were unable to render him the least
possible relief. They could hear the
the fl enzied and horror stricken man
as he madly endeavored to burst
barriers that held him in his fiery
prison.
"Drink, pretty creature, drink" a
little time, and you will relieve your